RIMOUSKI, Que. – Telus Communications has reached a tentative agreement with its nearly 1,000 employees in Quebec, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Meetings will be held throughout the company’s territory in late August so members can hear details of the agreement and express their views. The union’s leadership will be recommending that members sign the deal, which would expire on Dec. 31, 2009.
Negotiations began in October 2005 and this agreement was reached in 29 days.
The new contract maintains the “bumping” procedure for technological change and abolishing positions. It also implements an on-call program to meet operational and clients’ needs.
All Telus Quebec CUPE members will receive a lump sum payment of 1.75% in 2006 and 1% in 2007. These amounts will be factored into the overall calculation of retirement benefits. An across-the-board increase of 1% will be added in 2008 and 2009.
In addition, flexible pay will be introduced in 2007, increasing salaries by a targeted 3% in 2007, 4% in 2008, and 5% in 2009, based on company performance. This will also be taken into account when determining the value of benefit payouts under the employees’ benefit-based plan in future years.
There are also improvements to maternity and parental leave, adjustments to daily allowances for living expenses and night shift differentials, as well as a new job evaluation plan effective in 2007.
Last year, Telus employees in another union, the Telecommunications Workers Union, were on strike for four months.
